Australia will have four players among 198 golfers who will tee up on the weekend at four courses in the Troon area with a last chance to win through to the British Open starting on Thursday.

The four - Daniel Gaunt, Matthew Costigan, Glen Haynes and Craig Spence - will be hoping to join 20 other Australian players already exempt into the 133rd staging of golf's oldest major.

Organisers of the British Open, the Royal and Ancient Golf of St. Andrews, have allocated three spots at each of the four Final Qualifying venues.

Though the total number has now increased to 14 after the recent withdrawal from the British Open of former five times champion, Tom Watson, and compatriot Fred Funk.

Spence, brilliant winner of the 1999 Ericsson Masters, is the only one of the four competing full time on the main European Tour.

Fellow Melbourne born player Gaunt is currently competing on the secondary Challenge Tour.

A record number of 20 Australians are already assured of teeing up at Royal Troon.

The number is the highest ever in the majors and already seven more than June's record entry of 13 that competed in the US Open.

Australian entries into the British Open include - Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Aaron Baddeley, Scott Barr, Andrew Buckle, Steve Elkington, Richard Green, Brendan Jones, Kim Felton, Nick Flanagan (amateur), Matthew Goggin, Adam Le Vesconte, Stephen Leaney, Peter Lonard, Greg Norman, Peter O'Malley, Rod Pampling, Craig Parry, Adam Scott and Andre Stoltz.

Ian Baker-Finch, winner of the 1991 British Open, is exempt up until to age 65 but will not compete this year.

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